It’s Not All About the Scale

Freeport Health Club+PLUS — Carol J. Krupke — From an early age we have been programmed to believe we need to fall into a specific weight to height guideline in order to be healthy. What was always hanging on the wall of our Pediatrician’s examination room? That dreaded chart that showed what we should weigh if we were a certain height.

The truth is, it’s NOT all about the scale. Experts have finally figured out that you can weigh more than what is recommended in pounds as long as you are carrying a healthy body fat percentage, fat weight and lean (muscle) weight amounts.

The body fat percentage is a measure of fitness level, since it’s the only body measurement which directly calculates a person’s relative body composition without regard to height or weight. Normal body fat percents are different for men and women. Some experts say the amounts should be different when considering the person’s age and activity level. Generally, for men, the healthy range is between 14% – 17%. For women, between 17% – 24%.

Fat weight and lean weight are directly related to one’s body fat percentage as that number is used to figure what one’s fat weight and lean weight are.

Lots of times, when people are watching their food intake and exercising regularly, the scale still goes up. This can be pretty frustrating, especially if they have a specific weight as your goal. What has to be determined is WHY the weight is increasing even with a good diet and regular movement.

There really is a good reason for this. If you GAIN 5 pounds of lean weight (muscle) and lose 4 pounds of fat weight, the scale will still go up. It’s simple mathematics. What is important to note is when a person gains lean weight and loses fat weight, they will lose inches in most areas of the body, which means their body is becoming smaller.

A pound of fat and a pound of muscle weigh the same, but muscle takes up less space than fat. That’s why it’s possible to lose inches and still weigh the same or more. You will notice that your clothes are getting too big. People are going to start asking you if you’ve lost weight. You are going to feel stronger because you are building muscle which increases your strength.

Here at Freeport Health Club+PLUS, we encourage our members to have a goal to work towards but now it’s more about what “size” you’d like to be versus what weight you’d like to be.

There are no cookie cutter answers for those who would like to be healthier. Just know, it’s not all about the scale! Being healthy and having more energy and fitting into a clothing size that you are happy with is so much more important and more relevant to being healthy than what the scale is telling you!

Freeport Health Club+PLUS is located at 18 W Stephenson St and can be reached by telephone at (815) 233-0066. Visit them on the web right here.